Spring-catch box-fastener.



G. VALENTINE SPRING CATCH BOX FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1907.

900,241 Q Patented 0013.6, 1908.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII'II UNITED srar as PATENT OFFICE.

GORDON VALENTINE, Ol CHICAGO, lLLINOIS.

sr'nme-ce'rcn BOX-FABTENEB.

Specification 0:! Letter Patent.

Batented Oct. 0, 190a.

Application flled luly 27, 1907. serial No. 385,807.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 'I, GonnoN VALENTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at. Chica o, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Catch Box- Fasteners, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, ,forming a part of this specification, in which corres )onding letters of reference in the ditl'erent gnres indicatelike parts'.

The object of my invention is toprovide a box or safety receptacle for the temporary reception of articles, which receptacle may be so constructed that. it may be automatically locked as a result. of placing said articles or goods the-rein and-remain so locked until o )ened by means of a proper key. I accomplish said object in the manner hereinaftermore particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view ofa box or re-' ceptacle embodying the features of m invention, showing the same as it woul appear when unlocked, Fig. 2, is a like view showin the parts as they would appear when the device is locked, and Fig. 3, is a like view of the upper portion of the boX and lid, showing lhe manner in which the kcy is adapted to operate the lock.

Referring to the drawings, (1. represents generally a box or receptacle which. for the purpose for which it is more especially intended to be used. l prci'cr to provide with double walls having a dead air-space be tween them, so that the articles placed therein which it may be found desirable to guard, against ext remcs of heat or cold may be protcctcd thereby. Said receptacle is provided with a lid 7) which may be hinged or connccted thereto in any approved way to permil the same to be opened and closed.

taclcin its preferred form, is a false bottom (I the area of which is enough less than that of the stationary bottom to permit. it to 1,1- movcd up and down without obstruction. ln order toaccomplish this movement without binding, I prefer to cmploy some means for guiding said bottom in its movement. In the example shown. I have provided pins c which arc attacbcd to the under side of said movable bottom. preferably near the se eral corner and cvlcndcd dowmvardly -ize the therefrom into guide holes f, formed in the stationary bottom and extending into; the blocks or cleats g, which are interposed between the walls of the stationary bottom.

Goiled springs h are arranged to surround the pins c and are-placed between the movableand stationary parts d'c, for the purposeof normally holding the former in a from the latter asindi;

raised position away cated in Fig. 1,-the strength of the sorin being merely suflicient to sustain the weig t of said movable bottom and hold the same normally in the position indicated, so that when a weight is placed thereon, said bottom will be caused to descend as shown in Fig. 2. The par use of this construction is to utildbwnward movementof a movable bottom, whether-used with a stationary bottom or not, to actuate a lock, so that the deposit thereon of any article of sufficient weightto induce saidmovement, will cause the box to be locked when the lid is closed.

\Vhile I do not.wish to be confined to any specific form ot' lock with which this principle may w ich 111 its simplicity .and effectiveness, is

well adapted for the purpose. v

' Pivoted at 11 upon the inner face and near the upper. edge of the front wall of the box, are bent arms or movable guard members, generally designated by j, the upper arms of which are provided with books 7. 7.", adapted. when in an abnormal position. to engage counter-books or keepers 1,], which are rigidly attached to the under face of the box lid.

"llaving' its ends attached to the lower ends of the arms m, m. is a bent spring '11,

which is so constructed and adjusted as to normally separate said arms and hold them apart, as shown in Fig. 1. connected through a link 0. with the false bottom'r/ by means of a staple p. or other- .wisc. in such a manner that when said false.

bottom is in its normalposition, thetspring is left. free tocxc r't its normal actioi'i upon the arms 11: aid separate thel. 1 but when a l ig. is placed .pon said bottom, a downward,tcnsion is placed upon the spring n which causes it to draw the. arms'm together as shown in Fig. 2. thereby separating the hooks 1c and holding them in posilion, respta-t'ivcly. to engage the keepers I when the lid is closed. The co-m-tingmembcrs j and l are bcvclcd as shown. so that when the lid is loivcrcd, if the books of the be utilized, I have shown one Said spring is public and, being.

parts 7' are separated, the keepers will act to force them together until thetwo pass each other and engage like the parts ordina s ring-lock. The arms m, of each of whic there may be two or more like the guard members of a spring-lock, are cut away as'shown at g for the reception of a key 1', Fig. 3, the turning of which may cause said uard members to separate as shown in to said 'astnamed figure.

. The operation of my improved deyice is as follows: The parts being in the respective raised and lowered at will without becoming locked; but as 'soon'as an article is,place in the box so as torest its wei ht upon the bottom d,,t.he latter is ressed. own thereby against the action of t e springs k and the guard members of the lock are ,thrown into oeki positions by the. n, so iiat when the lid is closed, the keepers l are en a' ed thereby, and the lid can only R be unlocie by the use of akey. i yimproved box is especially intended for use in connectionwith the delivery of varying kinds of goods or merchandise such, forv exam 1e, as milk or groceries which are liable to mers durin may be in danger of theft or deterioration .by impro 'erexposure. The box' is intended to be rigi 1y secured to some permanent object in a position open to the normally unlocked, may 0 ned by'anybody. Upon placing an artic e of weight therein and'closin the li' the article is rot ted against the as well as the elements 'and'can only be removed by the person havii'kgthe. key. 40 anyarticle capable of being placed in the x'may be protected until removed by the personentitled to-its custody.

Having thus described' my invention, I claim: A 15A; receptacle of the'la'ss described having a movable bottom yieldingly held in 'a "normally raised positi n, a closure, a lock g ing a vertically e delivered at the homes of mstheir absence, and left in- 30 places where rey By this meanstherefor, said lock bein normally held in an unlocking position, an

means for moving said lock to a locking position by the depression of said bottom.

I 2. The combination with a receptacle having a movable supporting element for porting articles p aced therein, said element being yieldingly held in a predetermined normal position, of a closure having means thereon for engaging the guard members of supinto a locking position when a weight is placedupon said supporting element.

3. The combination with a receptacle havmovablc bottom yieldingly supported in a normal position, of a closure having means thereon for engaging the uard members of a look, a lock consisting 0 ivoted Wards, means for yieldingly hol ing said. guard members in an unlocked position, and means connected with said movable hottom for modifying the action of said holding means to move; said guard members to lockin g positionswhen the bottom is moved downwardyhby. the action of a weight thereon.

engagement with th lock, a l

pivoted toa stationary point between the FLETCHER, CARRIE. E. JORDAN. 

